Twenty Twenty

This newsletter is all about celebrating you and the wonderful community that didn’t let a pandemic or economic shutdowns or fires or political unrest stop them from the mission at hand: caring for your neighbors who are homeless and hurting.

Masks for the Mission

A huge shoutout to all the seamstresses who made and delivered hundreds of cloth face masks for our residents. You did your part to keep us all safe.

Prescribing Quality Care

At a time when it was difficult to get in to the doctor, we were more grateful than ever to have free medical clinics at each of our sites staffed by the most amazing group of volunteers.

Sandy McBride, RN has been serving in the medical clinics at UGM since 2013. When she retired from her job at the hospital, she knew she wasn’t done using her nursing skills, so she blessed us with her gift. “I had no idea at the time, just the scope of UGM. I did not know how much they were doing.” Sandy currently volunteers at the Men’s Shelter, which is an hour away from her home. She says, “Yeah, it’s a drive, but it’s entirely worth it.”

Pharmacist Wayne Clemens is a newer volunteer, filling a very unique and much-appreciated role. When he retired from operating The Medicine Shoppe on NW Blvd, he decided to lend us his expertise. Much of his time at the Mission is spent sifting through donated medications, identifying, labeling and filing them for future use.

Rick Clark and his Quaranteam

In an effort to help struggling local restaurants and feed the hungry at the same time, Rick raised money through Facebook Live to purchase hundreds of meals to give to those in need. He and his crew blessed the residents at our shelters on multiple occasions! 

Serving the Pour

89 pounds of Indaba’s special UGM blend coffee beans were purchased this year! By our estimation, that means that easily over 2,200 cups of delicious coffee were poured for a good cause! Every time UGM’s special blend is purchased through Indaba's website or at UGM Thrift Stores, a percentage of the sale goes directly into shelter services at UGM. Thank you for taking this opportunity to serve hope to the needy.

Spokane SUPER Mamas

Spokane Mama is a social community for local moms. This group of go-getter mamas found out that the women at Anna Ogden Hall were in need of shower caddies and hygiene supplies. The Spokane Mamas rallied their community, raised over three times their goal, and purchased all needed supplies, plus extras, PLUS a few hundred bus passes! They improved everyday life for every resident at the Hall. Amazing.

Undeterrable Support

Idaho Forest Group was undeterred by the complex and ever-changing health and safety guidelines in their continued determination to beautify the grounds at UGM’s Center for Women and Children and renovate our supportive housing. Through astounding commitment and remarkable creativity, Idaho Forest Group improved the quality of life for dozens of families today, and countless families in the future.

A Harvest of Canned Foods

During UGM's Fall Food Drive, South Hill Bible Church requested ten barrels. Instead of going Trick-or-Treating, members of the youth group hung plastic bags on neighborhood doors with a flyer asking for food donations. Together with their community, these kids filled all 10 barrels and even requested two MORE.

Sixty-Nine Years of Pastoral Partnership

Knox Presbyterian Church is officially the longest supporting church in UGM's nearly 70-year history. Our founder, Albert Arend, was a member of Knox, as was Ellen Funseth who started Women's Auxiliary. Knox abounds with UGM history!

The Ag Ambassador

In the world of local agriculture, Fred Fleming is an icon. In 2019 and 2020, Fred sponsored UGM’s attendance at the Spokane Ag Expo and has introduced our staff to hundreds of potential new partners. We have been greatly blessed by the robust ag community and are profoundly touched by their generosity and Fred’s ambassadorship. 

To the Rescue!

When UGM was blessed with a great quantity of surplus food at the beginning of the pandemic – more than we could store – US Foods provided a refrigerated trailer to sit in our parking lot, free of charge!

Little Car, Big Hearts

Christa and Tony donated their Mini Cooper to UGM Motors. “It's better than us going out and just trying to find the right person to give to." As regular volunteers at UGM’s Anna Ogden Hall, Tony and Christa were specifically moved to give so that the car's proceeds might help fund the good work they see happening there. In addition to their donation, over 1,000 other cars were donated to UGM in 2020.

Moving Forward (Quite Literally!)

Part of whole person recovery is taking care of the body. Up and Running Again provided running coaches to teams at the UGM Women’s Recovery programs in Coeur d’Alene and Spokane. That’s a serious commitment – months of running, training and encouraging. Fleet Feet in both cities provided free running shoes and Negative Split put on a 5k/10k/half-marathon in which our residents participated, with proceeds benefitting UGM.

Full-Circle Award

What could be better than residents who have finished the program coming back to volunteer and cheer on the residents currently in recovery? Emily Olson finished UGM Women’s Recovery at Anna Ogden Hall and returns on a regular basis to encourage others. “One of the things I discovered while in program is that I have the gift of encouragement. When I first came to Anna Ogden Hall, I was just so broken, and people spoke into my life and came alongside of me and encouraged me. That’s what keeps me in recovery - those relationships and community.”

The Gift of Relationship

High impact volunteers, Tom and Debbie Davis, have served in multiple capacities throughout the Mission but found their niche when they stepped into the role of mentors at the UGM Crisis Shelter. Together, they provide both in-person and phone-based mentorship on an ongoing, as-needed basis. “Sometimes our calls are one, two, even three hours long. We just want these women to know they’re not alone. It’s something we really enjoy being able to offer them.”

Food, Fun, Faith!

UGM’s Student Impact Center and UGM Camp were among the ministries most affected by the COVID-19

pandemic. Restrictions on gatherings changed the very nature of every event typically hosted by Youth Outreach. However, the community came together in support of Spokane’s underserved kids and made many new and creative avenues for UGM to reach kids in need and offer them food, fun and faith!

Serving the Word Since 1982

For thirty-eight years, Greg Beumer has been providing chapel services for the Men’s Shelter every Monday and Thursday night. He has faithfully served truth to men who are hungry for faith, and none of this year’s changes stopped him from continuing on into his thirty-ninth year with us.

 If you're inspired to partner with us in a new way for the new year, check out the e-book below.